Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Just finished reading a blog that Scott Molina wrote
regarding the recent completion of the 30th anniversary edition of
Ironman New Zealand.I’ve thoroughly
enjoyed the little time that I’ve spent with Scott.He is incredibly engaging and direct…the kind
of guy that pushes your buttons because of his no nonsense approach to training
and life.

But honestly, I’m
left with conflicting thoughts and feelings.On one hand, I love that he shares the pain and suffering experienced to
continue to race, train, and compete.I’ve always been in awe of those folks that I’ve had the privilege to
train with that seem to be able to bury themselves to depths that I can only imagine.Scott, Sam McGlone, and Gordo are a few
retired pros that come to mind.They
seem to be able channel some deep place that produce performances disconnected
from their already superior talent and fitness.I can’t tell you how many times I’ve drawn upon that to push myself to
new personal heights.

But Scott’s desire to "… Burn Out than to Fade Away" seems a bit
dismal.I can’t help but draw parallels
to actors (Heath Ledger and Phillip Seymour Hoffman come to mind) we see that
party themselves into oblivion and death, leaving everyone around them
discussing how tragic that loss of talent is.Isn’t there some middle ground?I’ve never met Dr. John Hellemans, but Gordo has shared his philosophy
of focused training intermittently to maintain that balance of health and
athletic achievement.

I
don’t want to misinterpret or dramatize Scott’s intention.But I do hope that I continue to personally
define the fine balance between the same enviable traits that produce
performance with the restraint necessary to prevent tragic self-destruction.In my world, this is less about world-class achievement
and more about simple diet and fitness choices that prolong optimal health.

In
any regard, it is nice to quickly jot down some thoughts this morning to pass
onto these guys. Hopefully my future
choices will buy me a little more quality time. Good luck in finding your balance.

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Bio

Dr. Shilt is the Director of Gait Lab at St. Luke's Childrens Hospital in Boise, Idaho. After nearly 10 years in academic medicine as the residency program director and an Assoc. Professor at Wake Forest University, he transitioned to his current position that allows both the practice of Adult & Pediatric Orthopaedics as well as the expansion of his practice in Endurance Sports Medicine. He has given over 100 presentations internationally, authored more than 30 articles, 5 chapters and has been the primary or co-investigator on research grants totaling more than $1 million. He co-authored a chapter in Joe Friel and Gordo Byrn's book, Going Long. He is currently working with Team Exergy, a professional cycling team based in Boise, ID. Dr. Shilt has qualified for the world Ironman Championship in Hawaii, Xterra World Championship in Maui, ITU Age Group World Championship, the Boston Marathon, and won the coveted "big buckle" at the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race.
Dr. Shilt has been chosen as one of the "Best Doctors in America" a distinction only 4% of all physicians in the United Stages are selected.